Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day Lewis in the titular role, is about as close to perfect as a movie can get. It only has a few missteps, mostly overlength, but only minor ones that do not detract away from the film's message. I went in the movie expecting a biopic of sorts, but the movie covers a very specific timeframe and event in his life, the passage of the 13th Amendment banning slavery in the United States. Now, I must admit with some shame, I don't know a lot about this period of time in United States history and I did not know, but am not surprised given the politics of the time, that the passage of this amendment was extremely controversial and difficult. A wise man once said the two things you never want to see being made was sausages and laws. This movie is exhibit A. It covers the division within the Republican Party, the cajoling and outright bribing of members in the Democratic Party, even the divisions in Lincoln's own cabinet. It may be surprising to some (or maybe not), the outright unethical means that had to be employed in order to secure the 2/3 passage of this amendment. And, hanging over it all, a possible overture of peace from the South that threatens to derail the whole process. This is the part I did not know. That there was a peace deal from the South on the table for Lincoln to consider, but he could not even let word of it get out. If word reached the Congress, they would table the motion and enact immediate debate on terms. A future problem, also, was that if the South came back into the fold of the Union full members (as they did), the amendment would never have passed as they would have never voted for it. So it was critical for Lincoln to pass the amendment within a certain timeframe if slavery was to be abolished in his lifetime. The negotiations are often tense, other times funny, but downright interesting. No one is villified or lauded, but rather presented as they really were, warts and all. And this, in the end, is the source of the film's greatest strength. The unvarnished look at both sides. Now obviously, Spielberg does sympathize with history, but it is a revealing glance of these men who had such an impact on American society that still reverberates today. Spielberg can't help but put a few theatrical touches in moments, because, well, he's Spielberg, and sentiment has never been in short supply with him.
Spielberg's direction is excellent, as always. I have noted before in coversations that I consider Martin Scorsese the greatest artistic director in Hollywood today, but I consider Spielberg the greatest craftsman. What I mean by that is that Spielberg's direction of scenes rarely call attention to themselves. He does not show off technical mastery with odd camera angles, strange lighting or following characters around a room. There is nothing in a Spielberg film that is in there for its own sake. Everything he does serves the story. For those who notice composition, lighting, blocking and movement, there is a great technical and artistic wizardry to Spielberg's direction, so much so it almost seems effortless, almost as if he can't help himself but create powerful images that speak volumes before any characters actually speak. But it never, never intrudes on what is happening in the scene. That is what I think is true mastery. I do not mean to demean Scorsese in any way, but his direction is almost self-indulgent, almost as if he is trying to prove something. Spielberg doesn't have to do that. He is confident enough that he does not need to be artsy unless he wants to be. Ever since Schindler's List, Spielberg has a method of direction that makes you feel as if you are there, that you are really seeing what is happening, and never takes you out of the moment. This understated direction serves Lincoln well, so he can show off the main focus, Lincoln himself.
A few words about Daniel Day Lewis. I never ceased to be amazed at this man's dramatic range and capability. He can be anybody, transform into anyone. Unfortunately, since he is in semi-retirement, we don't get to see a lot of him. But when we do, wow, are we in for a treat. I would put him into one of, if not THE best living actor today. There are only a few actors who do what he does so well. A lot of times, many great actors develop personas or tics that are hallmarks to their performances. I, being who I am, call it their thing. We all know them. Robert De Niro repeats himself, John Malkovich slows down and e-nun-ci-ates. George Clooney cocks his head to the side and gives you the look. Al Pacino screams a lot. Denzel Washington turns into the bully. Bruce Willis whispers and smirks. We all know them and love them. But great actors never have to phone it in like that. I consider Daniel Day Lewis one of these. Also Gary Oldman, Leonardo DiCaprio (as much as I hate to admit it), Matt Damon, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Christian Bale and Kevin Spacey. All very nuanced and subtle actors, when the role calls for it. Lewis infuses Lincoln with the humanity of the man, a trait sorely lacking in all past portrayals from Young Mr. Lincoln to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. An annoying tendency that storyteller get when depicting our founding fathers (or other great historical figure for that matter), is they portray them as greek gods, marble approximations that do not think, talk or act like any human being. They are either deified paragons of virtue who do no wrong, or vilified as dastardly devils incapable of human feeling or rational thought. With the sole exception of HBO's excellent miniseries John Adams, I have never seen a more realistic depiction of the man. We already know, or at least are aware, that he did great deeds. What movies like this and John Adams do is to help us know the person behind the acts, their virtues and foilbles, and through that we see they are not entirely different from us. Which, for me, makes the deeds they do so much the greater.
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